Purdue University Krach Leadership Center
West Lafayette, IN
Methodist University Thomas R. McLean Health Sciences Building
The Methodist University Health Sciences Building houses the academic programs for the departments of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Applied Exercise Science, and Athletic Training. The two story building is located at the main gateway to the campus, and links an existing health sciences district back to the campus core and out to the campus’ natural wooded environment—an appropriate relationship for a school focused on health.
The building features a range of human performance labs with sophisticated video capture, therapy pools, flexible classrooms, a mock-up apartment, a pediatric mobility clinic, and departmental offices. These elements are organized around a two story atrium that acts as the social center of the building, as well as a welcoming beacon for visitors entering the campus.
The atrium connects to spacious corridors that provide informal meeting spaces and common ground for the various academic departments. The sun washed corridors line the interior of the L-shaped building, framing the mobility courtyard, which offers a range of mobility challenges to support the academic and research functions of the health sciences programs. The courtyard is made up of a series of connected outdoor rooms, each with a unique character, that transition from formal built spaces down to the woodland edge.
The building facades facing the main campus are clad in brick and cast-stone to match the existing campus’ architectural character. Large windows in framed openings identify the building as an academic anchor, while the atrium suggests the connection through to the courtyard and the natural environment. Parking for 100 cars is tucked into the existing landscape.
For more information contact Fiske Crowell.
